outlawmws said:
Perhaps because you can't quote a blind test of any sort to substantiate it? Not trying to be offensive, but I have looked long and hard for any blind testing that proved any significant differences, and many that proved otherwise. Changes to capacitance of the cable, circuits added fore or aft, can make subtle changes, but even those are far from substantial.
If you have such evidence, please show them! :thmbsp:
back to the Gallery!
I really do not see why I would need to. I have heard the difference, people I know have heard the difference and people I know that have listened to my systems and others during cables swaps who know nothing about audio or cables at all; have heard the difference.
Why would I really be concerned about some test someone wants to run in a lab somewhere, when it has already been proven to me and many others?
Every cable has a different construction, metal, purity of the metal, insulator, connector and winding. While two cables of the same gauge might be able to transfer the same amount of energy, how does this account for the discrepancies in their construction? How does ohm's law apply to the effects of EMI or astronomical anomalies on the cable? How do we measure how well a connector makes contact with thousands of different amplifiers and speaker terminals? How do we determine what is the best cable insulation and capacitance to work on all systems, in all homes with various different types of interference like EMI?
Why do you dismiss discrepancies that may exist even though they can't be proven by scientific tests and our limited knowledge of the universe in 2007?
The best judge is the human experience, which is something that neither science nor any lab test may ever be able to approach. Aside from determining proper gauge to handle the power, resistance and some other measurable specifics that are required, I think our knowledge of physics needs to be taken with a great deal of salt. Look at how many "facts" have been blown apart in just the last 100 years.
As far as the blind testing is concerned, I did my own with others and witnessed the results. I know what they are. If someone wants to attempt to conduct a non biased one here, I think that would be great.
Some people hear more than others, especially people that have trained themselves to be critical listeners and have a great deal of experience with a broad array of different equipment. There are many people that cannot, or rather, do not want to hear a difference. Those of you here with significant others know exactly what I am talking about.
However, even the best of critical listeners sometimes can only hear within the range of their biology. Outside of the realm of hearing loss, due to the size and shape of their ears, people either hear: similarly, more or less. No one is the same.
"Psychoacoustics" also plays a huge role. There is no question at all that there are people that claim to hear things that may or may not be present. Placebo does play a role when we deal at such an extreme. It should also be noted that it works the other way as well. There are people that do NOT want to hear a difference, and regardless of whether there may or may not be a difference in sound, their subconscious will not allow them to hear it. Economics plays a HUGE role in this. If someone can't afford something, but needs to retain a high level of pride in themselves, they will look for every conceivable reason to justify why they did not or could not spend more money on a different product. This is exists with audio, cars, houses... everything. It is as much of human nature as sexual desire and it is something that people cannot control.
When I look at cable, I look at price last. Not everyone can do this. I listened to a variety of different cables and choose the ones that I think sound the best with my equipment in ways that I can clearly hear. More often than not, it isn't the most expensive or fanciest looking cable that wins the audition.
I have no intention of coming on here and trying to convince someone who already has their mind made up to change the way they think, because I know I can't. I certainly don't plan on getting my point across by making rude comments like some others have. I am merely offering my opinion on the matter and defending my comments. If you agree with me, than we have something in common. If it made you think twice about your opinions on the matter, than that was the intended effect. If you simply want to dismiss my comments, it would be impossible for me to care any less.
One thing we should not forget, is while our opinions and perceptions may vary for what ever reasons we have or external forces that exist, we are still all lovers of this hobby.
Now when it comes to speaker cables over $10k, I can easily talk myself out of it although I have heard them and there is an improvement and I can afford them. Simply not worth it to me but I respect the opinions and actions of others who do justify that kind of expense on their system.
